Independent Commissioner for Detained Terrorist Suspects: Annual Report 2003

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I have today arranged for copies of Dr Bill Norris's annual report for 2003 to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	I welcome Dr Norris's report and I will consider it carefully. I will respond as soon as possible.

Iraq Survey Group: Second Interim Report

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Charles Duelfer, the special adviser to the director of central intelligence for strategy regarding Iraqi weapons of mass destruction programs, presented a further report to US congressional oversight committees on 30 March 2004. As with the previous report presented on 2 October 2003, this is a status report on work in progress. A copy of the unclassified text will be placed in the Library of the House.

Guantanamo Bay: British Detainees

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: A team of FCO officials, RAF personnel, British police officers and independent observers visited Guantanamo Bay between 8 and 9 March 2004.
	The purpose of the visit was to return five British detainees to the UK, to check on the welfare of the four British detainees who remain there and to explain their position to them. The camp authorities were co-operative and helpful during the visit.
	An FCO official, accompanied by a police officer, informed the five British detainees on 8 March that they would be returned to the UK. Their return took place the following day, 9 March.
	An FCO official also met the other four British detainees individually. A US official observed the meetings. The FCO official delivered mail for the detainees personally and brought messages back to their families. Detainees are able to send and receive mail through the camp authorities and the ICRC. Delivery remains irregular. We are considering with the US Government ways for them to improve the mail arrangements.
	The FCO official asked all the British detainees about their health, diet, accommodation, opportunities for exercise and other camp facilities.
	The British detainees appeared to be in satisfactory physical health but are increasingly frustrated by their continued detention. Individual welfare issues are being pursued by British officials with the US Government.
	The FCO official informed the four British detainees that, following discussions between the British and US Governments, five other British detainees were to be returned to the UK; and that discussions between the two governments on their own future continued.
	The FCO official also informed Mr Abbasi and Mr Begg, both of whom have been designated by the US authorities as eligible for trial by military commission, that if they were to be tried, the British Government have told the US Government that the trial should be fair; and that the two governments continued to explore this and other possible courses of action.
	The legal proceedings against Mr Abbasi and Mr Begg were suspended in July 2003 pending discussions between the British and US governments. The British Government's position remains that either the British detainees should be tried in accordance with international standards or they should be returned to the UK. The British Government continue to work to resolve their position.

Great Chagos Bank: Environmental Protection

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Great Chagos Bank, which lies within the waters adjacent to the outer islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), is an exceptional example of a submerged coral atoll, providing a valuable contribution to the marine ecology of the Indian Ocean. On 17 September 2003, in order to help to conserve the natural resources of the bank, the Commissioner for BIOT proclaimed an area including the Great Chagos Bank to be an environmental (preservation and protection) zone. A copy of the proclamation, together with the relevant chart and co-ordinates, has been deposited with the UN under Article 75 of UNCLOS, and will be published in the Law of the Sea Bulletin No. 54.

NATO Standing Naval Forces and Response Forces: UK Maritime Contribution

Lord Bach: My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Defence (Mr Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	From mid-July 2004, the United Kingdom's routine destroyer or frigate (DD/FF) contribution to the standing element of the NATO Response Force (NRF) will be a single ship. This replaces our previous commitment of two—one to Standing Force Atlantic and one to the Standing Force Mediterranean. We have also given greater priority to enduring additional commitments in the Arabian Gulf.
	When, from July 2004 until June 2005, the UK fulfils the role of high readiness force commander (maritime), we will provide a broad range of maritime capability to the NRF. When this duty passes to another nation, the UK will revert to our routine commitment of one DD/FF.

NHS Foundation Trusts

Lord Warner: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.
	The chairman of the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts has today announced that, in accordance with Section 6 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, the independent regulator has authorised the following NHS trusts as NHS foundation trusts from 1 April 2004:
	Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust
	Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust
	Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust
	Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust
	Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust
	Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust
	Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust
	The Royal Marsden NHS Trust
	Stockport NHS Trust
	Decisions on the remaining 15 applications that I have approved will be made at a later date.

Arm's Length Bodies

Lord Warner: The following Written Statement corrects the Written Statement made on this subject on 30 March 2004.
	My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.
	Two new regulatory bodies, which will operate at arm's length from the department, come into being on 1 April: the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) and the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). A third regulatory body, the Office of the Independent Regulator (OIR), came into being in January this year. The inception of these new bodies will change the department's role in the provision and inspection of healthcare and social services. The effects that this will have on accountability arrangements are set out below.
	The role of the OIR is to authorise, monitor and regulate National Health Service foundation trusts (NHSFTs). The independent regulator is directly accountable to Parliament, and the department will not be able to comment on the details of the OIR's day-to-day management. For any questions that might arise in this area, we would provide information on the independent regulator's behalf, but not directly.
	NHSFTs are themselves independent of the department, and are directly accountable to their local populations and to Parliament. Because of this independent status, and NHSFTs' separate and local route of accountability, we will no longer be in a position to comment on, or provide information about, the detail of operational management within such trusts. Any such questions will be referred to the relevant NHSFT chairman.
	Notwithstanding these changes, matters of national policy (including the statutory framework for the NHS, and its resources, standards and targets) will of course remain the responsibility of the department. We will therefore continue to respond directly on these issues. We will also continue to respond directly on the services commissioned by the NHS locally, as these remain the responsibility of primary care trusts.
	As with the OIR, CHAI and CSCI are independent of the department. We will therefore provide information to Members on behalf of these bodies about their activities, but not directly. Two areas of their operations warrant particular notice. The department has traditionally had a much closer involvement in the performance star ratings system. From 1 April, it will be CHAI's and CSCI's responsibility to devise the form of performance ratings, and their criteria and methodology. The department will approve the criteria devised.

NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency: Annual Business Plan

Lord Warner: We are publishing today the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency's annual business plan. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	The business plan highlights the agency's achievements in 2003–04 and sets out the key tasks and targets for the coming year.
	This comprehensive plan has been formulated within the context of the agency's ongoing remit to lead the modernisation of the NHS purchasing and supply function. The agency has a strategic role to set out a major development agenda for purchasing and supply in the NHS and working with the commercial directorate has developed a co-ordinated implementation plan for doing so. The business plan sets out clearly how the agency will achieve these aims.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Business Plan 2004–05

Lord Warner: The 2004–05 business plan for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has today been presented to Parliament. The plan contains the agency's key targets for the year. Copies of the plan have been placed in the Library.

Review of Statistics for Economic Policy Making

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.
	Christopher Allsopp's final report, The Review of Statistics for Economic Policy Making, is published today. Copies are available in the Printed Paper Office and the Library of the House.